Introduction Understanding Your Cycle and Its Power As women, we''re taught to resent our cycle, to feel shame around that time of the month, and to suppress the natural rhythm of our bodies through hormonal birth control. We''re encouraged to ignore our need for rest and nourishment in order to keep up with the demands of a male-dominated society and workplace. We slog through punishing workouts, believing they''ll provide the results we''re looking for, not knowing that we may be causing our cortisol to spike and deliver the opposite outcome. We visit the doctor or gynecologist only to be told there''s nothing wrong, or that our pain is normal; we''re made to believe we don''t even know our own bodies. For years, my body felt like an unsolvable puzzle. For reasons I still don''t really understand, I lost my period at age 22, and when it came back about a year and a half later, it was painful and irregular. I remember lying in bed with a heating pad on full blast, canceling plans because I felt so awful. My face was swollen, my stomach was bloated, and my mood swung so wildly that I sometimes felt like a stranger to myself.

On top of that, I was battling Hashimoto''s, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid and makes all things hormone-related even harder. Like many of you, I turned to the internet for answers. I was following "healthy" trends, eating "clean," and working out intensely, but nothing seemed to help. I felt so lost--like I was battling my own body--which only led to more stress and anxiety. That was when, through my integrative medicine doctor, I discovered hormone-aligned nutrition, and everything changed. Hormone-aligned nutrition is the act of eating in tune with the four phases of your cycle to support your unique hormonal needs and honor the body''s rhythms throughout the natural menstrual cycle. Cyclical living acknowledges the fact that you''re going to feel vastly different on day 2 of your cycle than you will on day 25, and that''s okay! It recognizes that your body needs a variety of nutrients, exercise, and rest at different times of the month. And most important, it empowers you to listen to your body and understand what it''s asking you for--whether it''s an extra hour of sleep or that chocolate you''ve been craving all day.

When I first started living in alignment with my cycle, I kept it super simple. I began with small shifts, like changing up my breakfast or swapping a workout for a walk during my luteal phase, and built from there. I quickly noticed that certain times of the month felt easier with these small adjustments. My energy started to come back, my mood stabilized, and I felt less inflamed and bloated. One of the biggest game-changers for me was learning how to work out with my cycle rather than against it. I used to force myself through high-intensity workouts even when my body was screaming for rest. Now I move in a way that supports where I am in my cycle--and not only do I feel better but I also see better results. I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), too, which adds another layer to all this.

But syncing with my cycle has helped me manage symptoms naturally: fewer flare-ups, more regular cycles, and more energy overall. We''re all busy, and revolutionizing your life to accommodate your cycle can sound like a lot to take on, but that''s the beauty of this practice: It can be whatever you make it. Perhaps for you, it simply means you avoid scheduling too many social events the week before your period to honor the alone time your body is so desperately asking you for. Maybe you incorporate just a few more fresh veggies into your diet toward the middle of the cycle. Or maybe you simply keep note of what day you''re on so that when you suddenly want to scream in traffic on a random Thursday, you give yourself a bit of grace because you know you''re at the height of your PMS. I started sharing my health journey during my senior year of high school. I was just trying to figure out what made me feel good, experimenting with recipes and documenting the process along the way. It was super casual: I''d snap a photo of my meals or write a quick caption about how I was feeling.

Over time, I got more confident and started posting videos, sharing what I was learning and recipes I was trying; I was also opening up about my struggles with hormone health. That''s when my account slowly started to grow. Wanting to help more women heal through food the way I had, but also wanting to feel confident about sharing more than just my journey, I went on to become a certified Hormone Specialist in 2021 and a certified Holistic Nutritionist in 2024. Since then, I''ve had the privilege of supporting thousands of women through their hormone and health journeys to help them feel at home in their bodies again and be educated about their cycles and what their body goes through every month! Whether it''s through one-onone guidance or daily tips and recipes on social media, my mission has always been to make hormone health feel accessible, empowering, and doable. It still blows me away that something that began as a personal outlet turned into a full-blown community. The absolute best part of what I do is hearing from people who say one of my tips helped them feel better, or getting tagged in photos and videos of someone making one of my recipes. Those messages mean the world to me. They make all the ups and downs of my own health journey feel so worth it.

I wrote this book to be a catch-all guide for anyone looking to learn more about living in tune with their cycle. The recipes in these pages are all intentionally simple and easy to pull together on a busy weeknight, and they will slot easily into your life whether you''re just starting to get curious about living in alignment with your cycle or are already a pro just looking to incorporate some fresh recipes into the mix. I''ve also provided advice for exercise and lifestyle adjustments that will empower you through each phase. Many women have also found this method to be an incredible resource for mitigating symptoms of PCOS, endometriosis, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and other conditions we as women face. Honoring your cycle and focusing on these nutrient-dense meals can also support fertility for those looking to start or support that journey. While I always recommend speaking with your ob-gyn or health professional, learning to live in tune with your body through lifestyle and nutrition shifts can be an amazing way to honor your body''s needs, find body peace, and feel empowered. Ultimately, the advice in this book is meant as a resource for you to use in whichever way serves you. If you''re just starting out, maybe you will just try one recipe per week from the book and see how you feel, then slowly move on to adopting some of the lifestyle changes I recommend.

The goal is for you to deepen your understanding of your own body''s beautifully unique needs, so you can feel empowered all month long. Following, I''ve included some basic education about the menstrual cycle as it relates to nutrition and syncing, with the help of my friend Dr. Shamsah Amersi, one of the country''s leading ob-gyns and an advocate for holistic gynecology. I highly recommend doing your own research into other aspects of hormonal health if you''re interested in learning more: Alisa Vitti, Dr. Jolene Brighten, Maisie Hill, and Lisa Hendrickson-Jack have all written incredible books that provide essential deep dives into various aspects of the period and female hormones.